"Curly hair looks best when it's shoulder length or longer, and with a few layers cut in to keep it from looking bottom-heavy or boxy," says hairstylist Garren of the Garren New York salon. Ask for layers that start at your chin and angle down, all around your head. (Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker are good examples.) "The cut is great for curly hair because it helps support the coils and keeps them looking as long and full as possible," says Chris McMillan of Chris McMillan, The Salon in Los Angeles. But beware of making your shortest layers too short, which can make hair look poufy. Hairstylist Jimmy Paul of the Bumble and Bumble salon in New York suggests starting them at your collarbone to avoid unwanted fluff.

Who says curly girls can't go cropped? For the most flattering cut, "keep two or three inches of length all over and always make sure to have it cut to mimic the shape of your head," Garren explains. And whatever you do, avoid razor cuts as they can rough up the cuticle and exacerbate frizz.

Hairstylists agree that when it comes to washing curly hair, less is definitely more. Shampoo as infrequently as possible: every other day if your hair is very fine; once a week if it's superthick. On days you don't wash it, McMillan suggests just rinsing with water. And when you must lather up, use moisturizing products that contain ingredients like shea butter, palm oil, or avocado oil. (We like Aveda Be Curly Shampoo—it contains a blend of aloe and wheat protein that retracts around ringlets as they dry to help fight frizz).

Give your curls a fighting chance against frizz by loading up on conditioner—twice. In the shower, slather on a rich conditioner that contains silicone (any ingredient that ends in "cone"), like Paul Labrecque Curly Condition; spread it on from roots to tips, leave it on for five minutes, and rinse thoroughly. Then get ready for conditioner number two: Squeeze the water out of your hair, detangle with a wide-tooth comb, and apply a leave-in formula like Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner starting an inch from the scalp and working it down to the tips. "Leave-in formulas deposit a uniform film of moisturizing polymers on the hair and create a humidity-resistant barrier," explains cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer.

Once a week, apply a keratin hair mask to just-washed hair and leave in for ten minutes. We like Phyto Phytokarité Ultra Nourishing Mask. The conditioners in the mask coat the hair and seal the cuticle to keep out moisture (which helps prevent frizz), while the keratin strengthens hair to resist damage.

Blow-drying can be brutal to curls, leaving them looking fuzzy and puffed beyond recognition. That's why McMillan and his fellow pros suggest laying off the heat and taking a hands-on approach to styling, when possible. Begin by squeezing out all the excess water from your shower. Then, after you've applied leave-in conditioner and worked frizz fighter through your hair (use less if your hair is shorter), take small sections of hair and wrap them around your fingers for 15 to 30 seconds to form unified, shiny ringlets. Make sure to let hair dry at its own pace and keep your hands off: "The less you touch your curls when they're damp, the less likely they are to get frizzy or pull apart," Garren says.

The two most important weapons when you're short on time are a diffuser and a curling iron. A diffuser helps disperse the airflow so curls dry evenly and remain intact. "Don't stop until hair is fully dry," Garren says. "Otherwise it will get fuzzy." When you're finished, a one-inch iron helps refine the spirals and keep them shiny. "You can create different types of curls," hairstylist Nathaniel Hawkins says, "For tighter curls, wrap less hair around the iron, and for a looser version, use more."

Pull them into a low, loose bun, like this one from Dolce & Gabbana's fall show. Begin by applying styling lotion to damp hair and let fully dry. After side-parting the hair, take two-inch, face-framing sections, and twist them back toward the nape of the neck. Secure with bobby pins, then gather the rest of your hair and begin twisting into a low bun, pinning as you twirl. Keep the ends loose and messy.